>> oh, yes. as soon as i saw him. >> yes. >> extension cords. >> tied it around -- >> put pillowcases over our head. >> our heads. >> cord through the mouth and around the back. >> reporter: the couple was able to untie themselves after dorner left. that's when they called 911 on a cell phone jim reynolds managed to stuff in a couch. now, that's all that's left of a cabin where the massive manhunt for dorner came to an end. >> we believe the investigation is over at this point. we cannot absolutely, positively confirm it's him. >> reporter: tests are still being done on the body that was found inside the burned-out cabin, which is expected to confirm that dorner is dead. also, the san bernadino sheriff's department has identified its deputy believed to be one of dorner's victims. jeremiah mackay was 35, married, with a young daughter and son. and it was a farewell for officer michael crain, also a husband and father of two. dorner is accused of gunning him down a week ago.

>> every day got better. every day, we renewed our love. and i knew how much he loved me. >> and one, final note. the los angeles police department says it's unlikely that its $1 million reward will be paid to anyone. that's because dorner was not captured or convicted. and the other big story we're following for you this morning, the fate of that crippled cruise ship, "triumph." passengers and crew will arrive on solid ground later today, after drifting in slum-like conditions since sunday when the ship first lost power. with more on this, here's abc's matt gutman. >> reporter: stranded at sea. as seen from above, the carnival "triumph," lame and powerless, being towed to port in mobile, alabama. it is the holiday from hell for more than 4,000 people onboard. brett's wife, bethany, is aboard. they spoke briefly before the phone cut out. >> all you hear on those phone calls is crying. >> reporter: with scant news and few images from the ship or passengers, we

flew 100 miles from shore to find the "triumph." carnival dispatched a third tugboat to get the ship to port. have you ever seen anything like that? >> we've seen boats out here and rigs. as far as cruise ships in distress, no. >> reporter: we saw no visible damage. but we did see curious passengers on deck, looking up at us. deck chairs seem to have been converted into beds. but sleeping outside will be increasingly miserable during the voyage's final hours in the cold rain. for three days, not a single carnival cruise line representative appeared publicly. until president gerry cahill spoke tuesday. >> we're very, very sorry about what's taken place. >> reporter: this is the third time in a month this very ship has had engine trouble. "the triumph" had to limp back to port on its two previous voyages. as the ship is towed to shore, the port of mobile is dealing with the delicate task of docking the boat. and the most delicate maneuver,

for carnival cruise lines, dealing with disembarking passengers. the holiday that wasn't. matt gutman, abc news, mobile, alabama. a showdown in the senate is looming over president obama's choice of the next defense secretary. democratic leaders are expected to force a vote on the nomination of chuck hagel tomorrow. some republicans say they'll vote no unless the white house provides more information on the benghazi attack. but hagel is expected to get the 60 votes needed for approval. and there's a delay in the vote to confirm john brennan as head of cia. the top democratic lawmaker is demanding more details about deadly drone strikes against terror targets. last week, brennan defended the strikes in his confirmation testimony. but also said he welcomed more discussion on the controversial program. meanwhile, the military has approved a new medal for members involved in drone strikes and cyber warfare. the new distinguished warfare medal outranks the bronze star, which is the fourth-highest medal for valor. and is usually awarded for heroic action on the

battlefield. defense secretary panetta says it recognizes the current realities of war. another drug tunnel between the u.s. and mexico has been shut down. this one was discovered in southern arizona. police say the crude, hand-dug tunnel is about 68 feet long and approximately 2 feet wide. more than 1,200 pounds of pot was found inside. with that, a look, now, at weather across the country on this valentine's day morning. south florida could see some thunderstorms. the rest of the east coast should be pretty pleasant. atlanta and new orleans dry out after four days of rain. and carnival. ski resorts in the northern rockies get another foot of snow. >> temperatures in the northeast are leaning more towards spring than winter. boston is in the mid-40s. warmer-than-usual in the southwest, with dallas close to 70. if you want a warm valentine's day, head on over to miami. it's 82 degrees. >> not a bad call. that's a sexy city. not a bad holiday. well, they've been staying out of the spotlight for a week.

but today, the winners of virginia's $217 million powerball jackpot are coming forward. >> the lucky ticket was bought at a self-service lottery machine at richmond's airport, which means that the winner could have -- could have been anywhere. but it turns out that they were nearby all along. a virginia couple. >> that's a lot of roses. >> a lot of money. >> enjoy it. coming up, the most dependable cars on the road. the new rankings that are just out. and they're making official today a major merger in the airline industry. but what does it mean to travelers? plus, some disappointing news for all the -- lady gaga's little monsters. she will not be on the stage again anytime soon. ñcñ?xús1@ú?

welcome back, everybody. it is clear skies for another airline megamerger. we are expecting an announcement today that american airlines and u.s. airways will join, creating the world's largest carrier. their boards approved the deal just yesterday. consolidation in the airline industry has created bigger, healthier companies. but it's also likely to mean higher fares on some routes and less service for small cities. a survey finds that cars are more dependable than ever. but some are better than others. j.d. power and associates ranked lexus first, porsche second, and lincoln third. two-thirds of the brands did better than in previous years. and although japanese autos still had the edge, american makes are closing the gap. monster energy drinks are now food, not dietary supplements.

the change in labeling on its cans means monster has to meet different federal guidelines. the labels will now show ingredients and the caffeine content. there's been questions in recent years about safety. as the largest maker of emergency drinks in the u.s., monster's move now puts pressure on its competitors to do the same. and we now have a firm date for the cool ranch doritos tacos at taco bell. the date, march 7th. the announcement made on facebook with these pictures. that's just about a year after the first doritos tacos went on sale, nacho cheese. that was the most successful product launch ever for taco bell. whose cheese? >> nacho cheese. >> we laugh at dumb things this early in the morning, folks. sorry about that. big boost for tourism in atlantic city. the miss america pageant is returning to the boardwalk. >> that came as a surprise to the las vegas convention and

visitors authority, which has sponsored the pageant for seven years. a formal announcement about the move is set for today. >> hmm. maybe i'll go this year. >> hi. when we come back, that breaking news about the blade runner. he's under arrest this morning for a death in his house. and the nation's top college hoops teams trying to avoid even more upsets this season. which was the latest to fall? ♪ i woke up to a new day

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you're always on, so we're always ready. tyson grilled & ready chicken. made with all white meat, 98% fat free, and fully cooked. we'll take care of dinner, you take care of everything else. heavy rain and flooding in albany, georgia, caused this giant sinkhole to open up. thankfully, nothing was close by. and there was no major damage. skies are expected to clear up today. now, for a look at your morning road conditions. it could be slippery around detroit with a few snowshowers. i-95 in south florida could be

wet due to some thunderstorms later today. also, some light snow in the dakotas. and rainy around seattle and portland. >> and it's a good day for air travel with delays a possibility only in miami and chicago. and there is breaking news overnight from south africa about that country's most famous athlete. >> this is the gated community where oscar pistorius lives. he's in custody after he shot his model girlfriend to death after mistaking her for a burglar. there is speculation it may have been a valentine surprise gone wrong. pistorius was the first double-amputee to run in the olympics and reach the semifinal at the london games. our team in south africa will have the latest coming up on "good morning america." >> lots of questions there. a surprising, new government study finds the morning-after pill is more popular than ever before. about 11% of women now say they've used plan b emergency contraception. that's up 4% from a decade ago. researchers believe the pill's increased popularity is because

its easier to get. only girls younger than 17 need a prescription. lady gaga fans are disappointed this morning after a hip injury forced her to cancel the rest of her born this way tour. on tuesday, gaga announced she would postpone four dates. but tests on wednesday reveal that she has a tear in her hip and will require surgery. the 26-year-old tweeted that after her last performance, she couldn't walk. and she still can't walk. two years after a crazed gunman nearly claimed her life, former congresswoman gabby giffords is showing just how far she's come. giffords is featured in the new issue of "vogue" magazine, seen here in her tucson home holding hands and locking eyes with her husband, former astronaut, mark kelly. in the article, the couple talks about their push for gun control, one of the reasons they attended tuesday's state of the union address. president obama's trip to south carolina left some of his supporters in a state of confusion. the president mentioned that he would stop at a nearby

restaurant to get some barbecue on the way to the airport. crowds rushed to the restaurant to get a glimpse of him. but the motorcade went to the restaurant's other location. they have a souvenir to prove it, an order written by an air force one stationery. >> never pass up north carolina barbecue, no matter what. it has been a season of upsets, of course, in men's college basketball. last night, number six, syracuse, lost to unranked uconn. as for the top two, highlights, now, from espn. >> welcome to your "sportscenter" update. i'm jorge andres. cameron indoor going crazy. 235th meeting all-time between duke and unc. we pick it up. james michael mcadoo, the filthy jam. nine points, eight boards for him. later, getting the steal. he gets it back to the guy who started it all. draining the three. tar heels up ten. a minute to go in the half.

rasheed sulaimon, the filthy jam. 18 points, 12 boards for him. second half, seth curry, doing work from beyond the mark. duke with the first lead of the game. later, no-good "j." but again, 11 points in the contest. duke up by eight. a few minutes later, plumlee, once more. this time, with the right jumper. his 14th double-double in the game. duke wins it, 73-68. how about number one, indiana, taking on nebraska in big ten action. early second half is where we pick it up. yogi ferrell, finding christian watford for the filthy jam. hoosiers up.

victor oladipo, with the filthiest 2 of his 13 on the night. and under eight minutes to go, cody zeller, the big hands doing work. 16 points, 5 boards for him. indiana, they win it, 76-47. that was your espn "sportscenter" update. i'm jorge andres. you guys have a good day. also, arkansas beat auburn last night. but it hardly mattered to one auburn student. >> check out steven bass hitting a half-court shot at halftime. that was good enough to earn the sophomore from tennessee $5,000 toward his tuition. your parents deeply thank you, steven. not bad. the u.s. parks service is more than a little embarrassed this morning after a contractor mistakenly cut down a perfectly healthy 100-plus-year-old tree. yikes. >> the antique ginko tree was planted during the 1880s in downtown washington, d.c. unfortunately, it was not far from a stickily ash tree that was supposed to bemoved. >> i've been working in that building on the sixth floor for 14 years and looking down on this tree. it's one of the most beautiful trees in d.c., i think.

and i was just shocked. >> pretty incomprehensible how something like this can happen. we don't know how this can happen. we're working with the company to possibly seek damages. >> they say an investigation is now under way. >> hate when that happens. up next, "the pulse." our friend and colleague, robin roberts, talks about her recovery. and this guy, not quite hanging ten. only because of what he's wearing while riding the waves. and only prescription sleep aid t approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat

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welcome back, everybody. time to check "the pulse," this morning, the stories you will be talking about today. just days before she returns to the "gma" anchor chair, our beloved robin roberts is gracing the cover of "people" magazine. there she is, radiant as ever.

robin opened up about her recovery from a bone marrow transplant a few months back. telling the magazine, there were times she felt like she really was dying. >> as we saw in her test run at "gma" last month, robin truly looks absolutely amazing. and she says she's feeling stronger and stronger as each day passes. she returns to the air next wednesday. and it couldn't happen soon enough. >> everyone on the show and in this building, happy to see her back. that's for sure. welcome back. >> deserves all of the welcome she's getting. >> strong lady. >> that's for sure. call it cupid's curse on this valentine's day. the list of america's least faithful cities is now out. and maybe a few surprises on this thing, as well. coming in third, houston is one of the country's meccas for -- >> why houston? it has to be somewhere where -- no one's going to find you there. >> it's a big city, though. who knows? >> second, also in the lone star state, austin. again.

>> so, don't mess with texas. but messing around in texas is just fine. ♪ all my exes live in texas >> now, i know why. >> and topping the list, the nation's capital. washington, d.c. was named the least-faithful city for the second-consecutive year. >> that's not how you want to be known. >> at least there's bipartisan agreement on something. when you think of water skiing, this is probably not what comes to mind. >> check out chuck patterson, hanging ten near santa barbara with the wrong equipment. instead of using a surfboard, he strapped on skis to ride the 30-foot waves, using the poles to help maintain his balance. patterson is believed to be the first person to ever attempt wave skiing. >> get that. now, once he lets go of the rope from the jet ski, he can hit speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. that is -- he's moving on those things. >> i have a hard time -- i have

a hard time standing on water on anything. but two, tiny, little poles? >> brave folks. brave folks. hard to imagine what's going through his mind. but guys who love it. they get out there and adore that stuff. the level of coordination and balance, i don't have. >> far beyond my pay grade. can't do it. can't even think about doing it. >> well done, dude. for some of you, your local news is coming up next. >> for everyone else, we'll be right back on this valentine's day. well, our company does that, too. actually, we invented that. it's like a sauna in here. helping you save, even if it's not with us -- now, that's progressive! call or click today. no mas pantalones! new honey bunches of oats greek yohere we go.ole grain. honey cornflakes and chunks of greek yogurt.

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>> live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. good thursday morning and valentine's day. it is 4:28. >> don't know if you of love this but we have breaking news from treasure island. power is out right now for the entire island. this is a look from our camera on mount tamalpais. the dark blob in the middle is where you would see the lights of treasure island. the public utilities commission has crews on the scene trying to figure out what caused the

outage. we have a call to the company to find out how long it will take to get the power back on. no lights do not help the visibility and neither will the fog. >> it is chilly, too. >> live doppler 7 hd shows it is dry. you do need patience because the fog moved into the bay. it is dense in some areas especially the north bay area with half a mile in santa rosa and less than a quarter of a mile in novato and half mile at half moon bay. it is shallow, though, so expect sunshine. today is the warmest days in the forecast, low-to-mid 60's the scene coast and mid-60's to near extend for the bay and inland. >> happy thursday. coming in from marin, no fog

there but the scene southern portion of the golden gate bridge you can see the headlights headed south the fog settles on the toll plaza side. in san francisco there is patchy fog, as well, but it is not limiting the visibility that far but there is road work the scene northern part of the bay bridge. north 85 ramp to northbound 280 is closed because of construction until 5:00 this morning in the cupertino area, and san jose, north 280 to north 880 that ramp is closed for 30 more minutes. road work eastbound dumbarton bridge until 6:00 this morning we have a fog advisory for the bay bridge and heavy fog on the peninsula from 280 to 92 the western portion toward half moon bay. >> the athlete who made history as a first double amputee to run not olympic games is under arrest this morning accused murdering his model girlfriend. katie marzullo is live in the

newsroom. he says it was a tragic accident. >> lots of stories circulating. police have given a news conference this morning and are confirming the larger details but there are still so many questions. here is what we know: the model seen in this picture with her boyfriend was shot and killed inside his home in south africa. he has been charged with her murder and will appear in court later today. police recovered a pistol the scene house. they were the only two people inside the home. police say there are no other suspects involved. officers are interviewing neighbor whose may have heard something and there are unconfirmed reports that he may have mistaken her for an intruder. this is video of her at a modeling shoot. police confirm there have been previous incidents of domestic violence allegations the scene